Step-ladder stool



Aug. 7, 1951 .1.J. ToTH STEP-LADDER STOOL Filed May lo, 1946 "ummm Jj 2X .i4 Jg.

, INVENTOR ATTORNEY;

Patented Aug. 7, 1951 aGlaims- This. invention. relates toV improvement in. step;y ladders, particularly of." the; type havinga topA andisupportingf leg structuresuitable for' usel a. stool, and a ladderor step structure extensible` from and.' retractable within the` stool' portion;

Numerous constructions have been proposed fort step: ladders havingr a ladder: portion re. tractable within. thei` framework of.E a stool. ll/losi'lj;- ofi these structures` include slidable.` guide means: or;- pivots interconnecting; the ladderwith the`v stool, requiring; angular,- displacement. of? the` lodider: when it' is moved: between. retractedandv` eigy tended position. Inl view of-A the limited spacev available for storage,- in modern. dwellings, it. is` desirable-v to` utilize; the; space occupied bystep-4 ladderv stools; for.l storage. Eer this purpose, drawers or other.` storage compartments can be. constructed under the steps of a ladders struc turca However; in; retractableA ladderstructures heretofore proposed, angular displacementf.of-` the.A ladderrequiredl for retraction orextension there. of;tilts:the drawers or: storage compartments; and' disarranges` the contentsthereof'. p

It' is accordin'gl'yran` object. of my invention to providea foldable step ladder stool henri-ng.- drawers associated with] the ladder steps, and wherein` they lad'der'- structure` is; movable between retracted andi extended:l position: without angulardisplacement` oir the drawers.. thus avoiding: dis.. arrangement ot' their contents.

In conjunction with the foregoing' objects, itis. aturther object of my invention. to; provide astepla'dd'erstool? of sim-plel and: economical con-y struction, wherein` the: ladder which includes. the.v

drawerss rmly supported in extended. position.

for' use, and lreldz against casualy displacement. in retractedposition.

The foregoing;` objects" are accomplished ac. cording.- to: my.- invention by providing' a stoolA having; a top and; supporting' legstructure5 and a` retractable. ladder having a series of horizontal: steps: withv a drawer attached: to. the underside of; each. step. The. lower end of the ladderA rests upon the floorY when the ladder is` extended for use-,while the upper end isrsupported onthestool'.

l horizontal/iposition. Moreover; the.guide-.means--l includes. a; detentat the: innerendA thereof; en gael-ng: the top of' the. ladderwhen. retracted to, hold it; releasablyi im retracted? position. Prete.. erablyra second detent'. means; is provided forin-m f tereneaeement of? the lower or the. ladder` with. the. supporti means.- onther stool', thus. pro. viding a more secure engagement for holding-the ladder in retracted. position.

Ai preferred?` embodiment of; the invention la illustrated in:` thedrefvvingsA Wherein:

Figure. 1 is: a. perspective, view` of? the step ladderstoolg. with. the. ladder eig-.tended for use.

Eig. is. a central ver-.ticalL cross section;y or the step ladderstoot' with the ladderN in retracted? position.

Fig; 3; is. a. fragmentarydetail showingalternative. stool# construction.

ReferringVV tol the. drawings; the ladderstoolg int accordance. with; mtl invent-ion., compri-ses anv oblong-rectangular top ISU; comprising for example, a framell and' a pad@ |12, euportedT byfour-leas` lf3? interconnected adiacenti their lower ends; bysi'deibraces` I4. and: front rear braces l5 and |113; respectively. The t'op. legs andl braces may Q be. of? wood or metal. fastened; togetherin` any cor-iventionat` mannen to. provide a rigid, stable construction. Thus, the frame lillV may be of? metal andthe-legsV Ht and?. braces i4 to" I 8 can beof?l rolled; metal stock, Welded orbolted;Y togther:

Alternatively; as. show-n; in Fig. 3, the legs |30; can beA constructed of metal tubing, the side braces Ilia being formed integral with the pai-1 off legs. whichv it: connects, while. the front and rear braces |3511.; andl IiBare-weldedl at theirends tothe legs.

Alt each side of? thestoolf, below: the top I0, a. guide member on tra-cie l't' off a channel-shaped cross section. is; secured tol theA legs |32, each track^ having-.- an upwardlytnwardly extendingdi'- agonal portion I8, and a horizontal portion I'S extending.- to therearof* the stool. Thehorizontal portions can be extended it? desired, around the back ofthe stool'. to form a rear brace 20, and may` have forward extensions 2t attached to` the. front. lees.. ofV the-` stoot, so. as to forml side. braces adjacent. the top of.r the stoot'. At the rear end othorizontali portions. i8 of* the tracks. ll 1g a de. pression or notch. is. tormed'tc provide. a detect` for engaging a part on the top of the ladder, f

ladder, connect the steps 2li and 25 with legs 28,

rendering the structure rigid and stable. The steps 24 and 25 can be of sheet metal or wood, and braces 2 and 3l and legs 231 and brace 29 can be of wood, or rolled stock or metal tubing, preferably similar to the material used for the framework of the stool.

y A drawer 32 with a handle 35 is fastened to the 'underside of each of' the steps in such a manner as to slide forward and rearward for opening and closing, between vertical braces 2'I and legs 2S. The drawersvmay be supported in any conventional manner. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, they are attached at their upper edges by conventional tongue and groovemeans to permit them to slide back and forth on the steps. rI'hey may be advantageously constructedof sheet metal, or, if desired, of wood. `v

When the steps are extended as shown in Fig. l; therollers or trunnionsY 3@ at the ends of the horizontal brace 2s arepositioned at the lower end of diagonal portions I@ of the tracks It'I, resting against legs I3 Iand thus firmly supporting the upper end of the ladder -23 while legs 28 rest upon vthe floor, in such a position that the steps 24 and 25 and the corresponding'drawers are in horizontal position.

. WhenA it is desired to move the steps to retracted position,` theladder structure is raised upward' and inward on the stool, moving rollers 3lto theupper end of diagonal portions I8 of the track I'I, the rear lower edge of the drawer attached to the lower step 25 being raised thereby suiliciently to clear front brace I5 of the stool. The ladder is `then moved horizontally inward, rollers vSi) riding along the horizontal portion I 9 of thevv track Il. When the rollers reach the'notches or depressions 22 at the inner ends of the horizontal portions I9 of the tracks, they drop into the notches' engaging same as a detent, releasably holding the top'of the ladder tent Ymeans for retaining the ladder in retractedl position.

In order to extend the ladder for use, it is rst lifted slightly to' disengage rollers 30 and hooks 34 from'notches 22 and cross brace I5 respectively; then forwardly,` and nally diagonally downward, to move rollers 3l) alongtracks I1 to the lower ends of their diagonal portions I8,-

wherein theV upper end of the ladder is supported for extension' ofthe ladder.

It will be seen that in retracted and extended positions, the steps 24 and 25 of the ladder, and the corresponding drawers 32 are supported in horizontal position; while during movement of the ladder between the two positions, no tilting movement is required so that the drawers can be constantly maintained horizontal,v thus avoiding any disarrangement of their contents. Movement of the steps between retracted and extended position requires a minimum amount of effort, involving a simple upward and inward pull to retract the ladder, and an outward pull to extend the ladder for use.

Variations and modications may be made within the scope of this invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1.A step ladder stool comprising a top and supporting leg structure; a retractable ladder havingA a plurality of horizontal steps, and a drawer attached to the underside of each step, said ladder being diagonally extensible from said stool with its lower end resting on the floor; guide means interconnecting the upper end of the ladder with the stool, said guide means supporting the upper end of the ladder adjacent the front of the stool when the ladder is extended for use and restricting movement of the upper end of the ladder for retraction thereofY within the leg structure of the stool t0 an initial diagonal upward and inward direction followed by horizontal inward movement; means onY the stool for supporting the ladder when retracted with its legs supported above the level of the floor, and in a diagonal position substantially parallel to its position when extended for use.

2. A step ladder stool comprising a top and supporting leg structure; a retractable ladder having a plurality of horizontal steps and a drawer attached to the underside of each step, said ladder being diagonally extensible from said stool with its lower end resting on the floor; guide means interconnecting the upper end of the ladder with the stool, said guide means supporting the upper end of the ladder adjacent the front of the stool when the ladder is extended for use and restricting movement of the upper end of the ladder for retraction thereof within the leg structure of the stool to an ini-l tialv diagonal upward and inward direction followed by horizontal inward movement, and including detent means for releasably holding the upper end of the ladder in retracted position; and means on the stool engaging the lower end of the ladder for supporting same when retracted in a diagonal position substantially parallel to its position when extended for use.

3. A step ladder stool comprising a top andl supporting leg structure; a retractable ladder having a plurality of horizontal steps and a drawer attached to the underside of each step, said ladder being diagonally extensible from said stool with its lower end resting on the floor; guide means interconnecting the upper end of the ladder with the stool, said guide means including a channel member supporting the upper end of the ladder adjacent the front of the stool when the ladder is extended for use and restricting movement of the upper end of the ladder for retraction thereof within the leg structure of the stool to an initial diagonal upward and inward direction followed by horizontal inward movement, and including detent means in one and wall of the channel for releasably holding the upper end of the ladder in retracted position; and means on the stool engaging the lower end of the ladder for supporting same when retracted in a diagonal position substantially parallel to its position when extended for use, said lastnamed means including a detent for releasably holding the lower end of the ladder in engagement therewith as long as the upper end of the ladder remains in engagement with the detent included by said guide means.

4. A step ladder stool comprising a top and supporting leg structure; a retractable ladder having a plurality of horizontal steps, and a drawer attached to the underside of each step, said ladder being diagonally extensible from said stool with its lower end resting on the floor; a pair of closed tracks at the sides of the stool below its top, each having a front portion slanting diagonally upward and inward from the front of the stool, a horizontal rear portion extending to the rear of the stool, and a depression at the rear end thereof; a pair of rollers on the top of said ladder engaging said tracks, said rollers when positioned at the front end of said tracks 4 supporting the ladder in a diagonal extended position for use, said tracks guiding the rollers on the upper end of the ladder diagonally upward and inward and then horizontally inward for retraction of the ladder within the stool, said depressions releasably engaging said rollers when the ladder is fully retracted for holding the upper end of the ladder in retracted position; and means on the stool for supporting the lower end of the ladder when retracted within the stool so as to maintain the ladder in diagonal position substantially parallel to its position when extended.

5. A step ladder stool comprising a top and supporting leg structure; a retractable ladder having a plurality of horizontal steps, and a drawer attached to the underside of each step, said ladder being diagonally extensible from said stool with its lower end resting on the door; a pair of tracks at the sides of the stool below its top, each having a front portion slanting diagonally upward and inward from the front of the stool, a horizontal rear portion extending to the rear of the stool, and a depression at the rear end thereof; a pair of rollers on the top of said ladder engaging said tracks, said rollers when positioned at the front end of said tracks supporting the ladder in diagonal extended position for use, said tracks guiding the rollers on the upper end of the ladder diagonally upward and inward and then horizontally inward for retraction of the ladder within the stool, said depressions releasably engaging said rollers when the ladder is fully retracted for holding the upper end of the ladder in retracted position; a transverse brace connecting the front legs of the stool; and hook means on the ladder for releasably engaging said brace to hold the lower end of the ladder when retracted against displacement on the stool, and for supporting the ladder in retracted position above the level of the floor substantially parallel to its position when extended for use.

JOHN J. TOTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 934,316 Jones Sept. 14, 1909 967,452 Silverman Aug. 16, 1910 1,320,008 Holwick Oct. 28, 1919 1,973,628 Hindle Sept. 11, 1934.-

2,069,707 Herman Feb. 2, 1937 2,293,210 Marzolf Aug. 18, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 432,887 France Oct. 14, 1911 489,096 Germany Jan. 13, 1930 585,060 France Dec. 2, 1924 686,679 France Apr'. 15, 1930 725,122 France Feb. 6, 1932 

